Mortalizing genes

Malyankar commented on the recent report of a mutation in C. elegans
which results in the extension of the lifespan. he then wonders what
the connection is to the complementation work of Olivia Pereira-Smith
in Houston, and reported several years ago. The genes identified by
Pereira-Smith in her complementation studies have not yet been
isolated, as far as I know. It is unlikely in my view that these
genes would correspond with the gene mutated in C. elegans in this
recent report, because the complementation work used the phenotypes
of immortal growth and of mortalization, that means a limited
reproductive lifespan. There are probably genes to be isolated which
regulate separately the phenotype of mortalization and the lifespan
either of cells or of organisms.
Sydney SHALL
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Sydney SHALL,
Laboratory of Cell and Molecular Biology,
Biology Building,
University of Sussex,
Brighton,
East Sussex BN1 9QG,
ENGLAND.
Telephone: +44.273.67.83.03
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E-Mail:
Janet: S.Shall at uk.ac.sussex
Elsewhere: S.Shall at sussex.ac.uk
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